Body Contouring Procedure Steps

Body Contouring Surgery

A patient may need a body contouring procedure for skin tightening after they have undergone a major weight loss following bariatric surgery. Body contouring surgery will involve several steps, which can slightly vary depending on whether upper body, lower body, or combined body contouring is performed.

The surgeon will discuss the steps involved in the procedure during the pre-op consultation. Their first concern will be to educate the patient about body contouring and help them make an informed decision. Dr. Wiljon Beltre is a marvelous and astute bariatric surgeon providing weight loss procedures to patients in Orlando, Tampa, Altamonte Springs, Central Florida, and surrounding locations.

Lower Body Contouring Steps

If a complete lower body contouring procedure is performed in one time after bariatric surgery, it gives the advantage of treating the abdomen, buttocks, waist, thighs and hips in a single procedure. The first step in the procedure will be placing the patient under general anesthesia, followed by the placement of incisions in discreet locations for skin tightening.

The lower body lift typically extends the tummy tuck incision circumferentially around the lower waist, which enables the surgeon to lift the thighs and tighten the buttocks as well as to perform the traditional tummy tuck. The surgeon will keep the patient’s incision preferences in mind, and their length and pattern will depend on how much excess skin needs to be excised from which areas.

Once the surgery as per the lower body contouring surgical plan is completed, the surgeon will close the incisions in multiple layers over drains to mitigate stretching and swelling. Newly shaped contours will receive support from the deep sutures within the underlying tissue. Incision closure will be performed using sutures, tapes or skin adhesives.

Upper Body Contouring Steps

If the patient requires upper arm skin tightening, the surgeon will begin the procedure by placing an incision below the armpit or along the back of the arm. If the patient has undergone massive weight loss, the incision may run from the elbow to the armpit and possibly extend along a portion of the upper chest wall and toward the back. The surgeon will then remove the excess skin through this incision.

If the patient requires a breast lift, the surgeon may place three incisions: one around the areola, a second extending from the lower half of the areola down to the inframammary fold, and the last incision below the breast crease. Excess skin will then be removed to tighten the breasts and reposition them firmly.

Skin tightening in the middle and lower back will require incisions on both sides of the mid-back, or near the bra line in case of women. The surgeon will then remove excess skin from the area. The final step will be to close the incisions carefully with absorbable or traditional sutures, skin adhesive or tape.

In many instances, the patient may either need upper or lower body contouring, but not both. The procedure steps will be reduced in such cases. Dedicated bariatric surgeon Dr. Beltre receives patients from Orlando, Tampa, Altamonte Springs, Central Florida, and other areas across the landscape for weight loss surgery.